Season ends for Redskins

March 2, 2013

ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Carrollton used the inside, outside game to capture a Division II sectional championship Friday.

Stephen Ericksen (the inside muscle) and Andrew Collins (the outside bomber) combined for 42 points as the Warriors dispatched Indian Creek 63-46 inside the Health and Physical Education Building on Ohio University's Eastern Campus.

With the victory, Matt Voll's 16-8 club advances to the district finals opposite the survivor of today's Big Red-St. Clairsville tussle. That contest is set for Thursday, introductions starting at 7 p.m.

Article Photos

Mike MathisonUP?FOR?TWO — Indian Creek senior Alex Young goes up for two of his 23 points in Friday’s 63-46 loss to Carrollton in a Division II sectional co-final at Ohio University-Eastern.

Joe Dunlevy's Redskins drop the curtain at 15-8.

Ericksen, the husky 6-4 senior, scored 18 points (10 following offensive rebounds). He was a perfect eight for eight from the floor. Collins, a 6-1 senior guard, paced the winners with 24 (he drained six triples, a couple coming from NBA range).

As a team, the Warriors shot a torrid 61 percent (24 for 39) in handling Creek for the second time this season.

"The difference in the game was they had open looks and knocked them down," Dunlevy said. "They shot it very well. We're not used to giving up that many points. They moved the ball well on the offensive end. Give them credit for their shooting performance."

Carrollton gave those in attendance a sign of things to come by connecting on five of eight first quarter field goal tries (three makes came from behind the arc) to grab a 14-10 advantage. Seniors Matt Furda and Shane Winland kept the Redskins close by scoring four points each. The opening stanza featured two ties and four lead changes.

A nifty drive to the hoop by Creek senior Alex Young made it 16-12 early in the second. The Warriors would then go on a 9-0 run to break things open.

Jake Peterson started the burst with a jumper. Caleb Hartong followed with a pair off a rebound then Ericksen used his inside strength to score. A Collins triple put the Warriors ahead 25-12. Voll's crew took a 30-21 lead into the intermission.

Five markers by Collins, who also dished out four assists, stretched the advantage to 44-33 after three. Ericksen recorded eight in the fourth to put the game out of reach.

"Andrew (Collins) definitely had a good shooting night," Voll noted. "When he makes one or two early, his confidence really goes up. It was his night tonight. Our kids recognized it and found him at the right times.

"Stephen (Ericksen) plays hard every night. He really finished well. Both kids stepped up and played like all league and district players."

As Dunlevy pointed out, Ericksen has "such a soft touch for a big kid. He's a load in there and definitely was a problem for us tonight."

Young made his last game in a Creek uniform one to remember. He scored 23 points and shared the team rebounding lead with fellow senior Frank Kamarec, each collecting five. As a team, the Redskins pulled down 18. Young also recorded three assists and two steals.

Furda added nine and Winland eight.

"In the last three years, our seniors (Young, Kamarec, Furda, Winland and Drew Sullivan) have won close to 50 games," Dunlevy pointed out. "They are great kids; great students and they come from great families. I'm going to miss them.

"Tonight just wasn't our night. That happens in the tournament. When you have one bad quarter, you go home."

Dunlevy pointed out "all I ask of our kids is to take what they have and try as hard as they can.

"That's what these seniors have done for us," he continued. "I was happy with their effort during the summer, in practice and on the court."

Voll and his Warriors are in "a wait and see" as far as preparing for the district game goes.

"Indian Creek is a heck of a team that is extremely well-coached," he said. "Both teams that are playing Saturday are the same way. We'll wait and see and then work on putting something together for Thursday."